Every Other Weekend(59)
Jolene:
Something before now.
Adam:
Jeremy sat on a Christmas ornament and broke it. Shocked us all into laughing, even our mom. I didn’t think I’d get to hear that from her today. Okay, your turn.
Adam:
Are you still there?
Adam:
Hello?
Jolene:
I was thinking. Mrs. Cho made me a gingerbread house that I probably wasn’t supposed to eat but did. And she gave me the Die Hard special edition box set since I told her the first one is my favorite Christmas movie.
Adam:
Die Hard is a Christmas movie?
Jolene:
Die Hard is THE Christmas movie. Why, what’s your favorite?
Adam:
I don’t know. Elf?
Jolene:
That might be the saddest thing you’ve said yet.
Adam:
It’s funny.
Jolene:
It’s... Okay, we’re bingeing a bunch of Christmas movies on our next weekend, starting with Die Hard.
Adam:
Yippee ki-yay.
Jolene:
You are so much better than candy corn.
ONE WEEK LATER
Adam:
10
Jolene:
9
Adam:
8
Jolene:
We’re already behind. 4
Adam:
3
Jolene:
2 & 1! Happy New Year!
Adam:
Happy New Year!
Jolene:
Where are you?
Adam:
At my friend Rory’s house with some people.
Jolene:
Ooh, a party.
Adam:
Four guys and an Xbox, so sure. Did you make it to Venomous Squid’s show?
Jolene:
Yes, and sketchy doesn’t cover this place. I’m trying not to touch anything.
Adam:
Like unsafe sketchy? ’Cause Rory’s parents are asleep. We could come get you.
Jolene:
It’s cool. I’m right by the stage with Grady’s girlfriend, Audra, and Gabe and Dexter are there if anyone bothers us. Which they haven’t so far. Our underage wristbands are doing more than keeping us from drinking.
Adam:
Cherry there?
Jolene:
No. Meneik picked her up like five minutes after we got here.
Adam:
How much longer is the set?
Jolene:
An hour, I think. Then we’re going to Denny’s for pie. Yum.
Adam:
You having fun?
Jolene:
Sure. You?
Adam:
Not bad.
Jolene:
It’s too bad you couldn’t come. Are you winning at Xbox?
Adam:
That is the exact right way to phrase that, BTW. And yeah, still wish we could have rung in the New Year together.
Jolene:
And you could have met the guys!
Adam:
I was more thinking about kissing you at midnight.
Jolene:
That’s such a cliché.
Adam:
I’d call it classic.
Jolene:
I don’t know. I just saw a guy belch into his date’s mouth. You’d have had stiff competition.
Adam:
No, I don’t think so.
Jolene:
Cocky much?
Adam:
Next year we’re spending New Year’s together.
Jolene:
I don’t know where I’ll be.
Adam:
What does that mean?
Jolene:
It means I go at the behest of my parents’ lawyers. I’ve been to two different schools since the divorce. I could be at another one next week.
I could be in another apartment.
Or you could.
Adam:
Your birthday is January 26.
Jolene:
So?
Adam:
Mine’s February 10.
Jolene:
I know. So?
Adam:
I’m assuming your dad wouldn’t be allowed to move you out of state.
Jolene:
I doubt it.
Adam:
Then in just over a month, I’ll be able
to drive to wherever you are. Or in a few weeks, you can drive to me.
Jolene:
Are you for real right now?
Adam:
Yes.
Jolene:
You’d really drive to me?
Adam:
Wouldn’t you drive to me?
Jolene:
This is the first time I thought about it.
Adam:
It’s not a trick question. If something happened and we didn’t have these weekends, would you still want to see me?
Jolene:
Yes.
Adam:
Good, ’cause I’d want to see you.
Adam:
Still there?
Jolene:
I don’t know what to do when you talk like that.
Adam:
Say it back.
Jolene:
I’d want to see you.
Adam:
You’re getting better at this nice thing.
Jolene:
You think?
Adam:
Oh yeah.
Jolene:
G2G but have fun Xboxing.
Adam: